The United Kingdom has committed up to £15million for a Violence Prevention Partnership, as well as up to £7million for climate finance, to help strengthen Jamaica’s security and boost climate resilience.

The announcement was made by Britain’s Foreign Secteray, James Cleverly, at the Jamaica-UK Strategic Dialogue where he had face-to-face talks with Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.

Cleverly arrived in Jamaica Thursday and departed on Friday to continue a four-country trip that will also take him to Brazil, Chile and Colombia.

A statement issued on Saturday by the British High Commission in Kingston said Cleverly co-chaired the UK-Caribbean Forum alongside Johnson Smith and participated in the inaugural Jamaica-UK Strategic Dialogue.

“This was the first in-person meeting of the UK-Caribbean Ministerial Forum since 2016. The discussions at both the UK-Caribbean Ministerial Forum and Jamaica-UK Strategic Dialogue covered a range of topics, including security, climate change, trade and investment, as well as health and education, solidifying the long-standing relationship between the UK and Jamaica and forging new partnerships in key areas of mutual interest,” the statement said.

Speaking at the Dialogue, Cleverly said: “I’m delighted to have confirmed with Minister Johnson Smith and her team, new funding to support Jamaica’s efforts in violence prevention. The UK Government, through the FCDO, is committing up to £15 million over the next six years to support Jamaica in its efforts to reduce violence and its impact on society.”

In her remarks, Johnson Smith said: “Jamaica and the United Kingdom have a longstanding relationship that has matured to support our national development agenda. Jamaica welcomes the enhancement and optimisation of our partnership with UK to yield more tangible results toward our national development goals. This additional support and focus on security will result in a more enabling development environment for all Jamaicans.”

The Dialogue concluded with the signature of a joint communique and an Aide Memoire which sets out the framework for the Violence Prevention Partnership (VPP). The Foreign Secretary also witnessed the signing of an instrumental Memorandum of Understanding between the British Council and Jamaica’s Ministry of Education.

This agreement formalises the work cooperation on STEAM Education between the UK and Jamaica that has been developing since 2020.

Over the next five years, more than 15,000 teachers in the public school system at the secondary level will access STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) education training that will be cascaded to young people in their classrooms.

“This programme will build and develop the people-to-people links between young people and teachers in the UK and Jamaica, enhancing the UK’s reputation in Jamaica and the Caribbean as the expert in STEAM education,” the high commission said.

During his visit, Cleverly held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Andrew Holness. Their discussions centred around “the enduring relationship, trade, security and the strengthening of people-to-people links between the two countries, who have a long history”.

Cleverly also toured an ongoing Blue Carbon Mangrove Restoration project in South Clarendon where the UK is funding the restoration of over 1,000 hectares of degraded mangroves, which will help to foster wildlife growth and increase the livelihoods of people living in surrounding communities.

He also participated in a cultural reception hosted in the Windrush Gardens at the British High Commission by British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Judith Slater, a key moment highlighting the strong Jamaican-British heritage, where he met with local entrepreneurs and young people.